ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fall — the season
  11. scale — size or range
  12. fork — in a road
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. mug — to rob
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fall — to drop
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mug — a face
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bulb — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com